In defiance of conventional wisdom, the act of bringing a knife to a gunfight in Cyberpunk 2077 can be an unexpectedly effective strategy, provided that players are well-versed in its nuances. These small, pointed implements are not only suitable for up-close stabbings but can also be skillfully thrown with precision. There’s a distinct thrill in launching a knife directly into a gangoon’s eye socket, making it one of the most gratifying experiences within the game. What’s even more exciting is that players can now craft character builds with this specific playstyle in mind.
With the massive 2.0 update to Cyberpunk 2077, a new skill line has been introduced under the Cool attribute tree, dedicated entirely to the art of throwing blades at your adversaries. Below, you’ll find a detailed build that focuses on optimizing these new perks, alongside the enhanced cyberware system, to create a formidable throwing knife build capable of dominating even the most challenging difficulty modes in the game.
Exploring Throwing Knife Build Skill Trees in Cyberpunk 2077
To start off, it’s a smart move for players to invest a significant chunk of their points into Cool as they level up. Afterward, they can shift their focus towards honing their Technical Ability and Reflexes. It’s a good idea to allocate perk points to the throwing weapon skill line under the Cool tree, which unlocks some exciting new bonuses introduced in the 2.0 update. Here are the skills that should be a top priority:
- Scorpion Sting
- Accelerated Poison Absorption
- Parasite
- Juggler
- Finisher: Act of Mercy
- Sleight of Hand
- Dash
- Air Dash
- Tailwind
The “Style over Substance” skill isn’t essential unless you’re aiming for a stealth-oriented playstyle. There are various other sources to boost your critical hit chance, so you don’t need to rely solely on it. Among these perks, Juggler and Sleight of Hand should be your primary focus. Juggler enables you to instantly retrieve thrown weapons after a critical kill, while Sleight of Hand increases your critical damage each time Juggler activates. As you progress, you’ll accumulate more points to invest in a range of other perks that align with your playstyle.
If you prefer a sturdier approach, you can opt to develop the Adrenaline Junkie skill in the Body tree. This will enhance your endurance in intense firefights, catering to a more resilient playstyle.
Recommended Gear
You’ll find that any top-notch knife or tomahawk can perform exceptionally well in this setup. It’s highly advisable to equip two or three throwing weapons to make up for any missed shots.
One remarkable choice is the Headhunter iconic knife, which you can acquire from the melee vendor at Pacifica’s West Wind Estate. This knife excels at enhancing headshot damage when it connects with an enemy. To complement it, consider pairing it with the Agaou tomahawk from the Phantom Liberty expansion. This combination works wonders, particularly against formidable foes like bosses, allowing you to deal massive damage.
When it comes to standard throwing weapons, the Javelin mod is a solid option. It significantly boosts the weapon’s armor-piercing capabilities, albeit at the expense of reducing its effective throwing range. However, this drawback isn’t much of a concern since throwing weapons are most effective at close range. So, equipping this mod offers a substantial advantage without sacrificing much in terms of gameplay.
Cyberware
This late-game cyberware configuration follows a conventional approach when it comes to character builds. Its primary emphasis is on enhancing the effectiveness of throwing weapons and fully utilizing all cyberware implant slots to unlock the Cyborg perk’s valuable 15% cooldown reduction bonus.
| yberware | Category | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Tyger Claws Dermal Imprint | Hands | Enables Smart Weapon targeting (filler implant) |
| Handle Wrap | Hands | Increases throwing weapon crit chance for a short duration after equipping a throwing weapon |
| Militech “Apogee” Sandevistan | OS | Slows time by 85% (Player is not slowed). Gain more crit chance, crit damage, and headshot/weakspot damage while the effect is active. Neutralizing enemies extends the duration and restores stamina |
| Kiroshi “Cockatrice” Optics | Face | Increases critical hit chance by ~30% (Phantom Liberty Only) |
| Adrenaline Converter | Nervous | Increases movement speed for a short duration after entering combat |
| Neofiber | Nervous | Increases Mitigation Strength |
| Stabber | Nervous | Increases critical hit chance with blades and throwing weapons |
| Self-Ice | Frontal Cortex | Negates one incoming enemy quickhack before going on cooldown |
| Mechatronic Core | Frontal Cortex | Increases damage dealt to robots |
| Newton Module | Frontal Cortex | Reduces active cyberware cooldowns after neutralizing an enemy |
| Bionic Joints | Skeleton | More armor |
| Para Bellum | Skeleton | Massively increases armor |
| Spring Joints | Skeleton | Increases Mitigation Strength |
| Subdermal Armor | Integumentary | More armor |
| Proxishield | Integumentary | Reduces the damage received from nearby enemies |
| Nano-Plating | Integumentary | Chance to block incoming projectiles; guaranteed to block one projectile after dashing |
| Biomonitor | Circulatory | Instantly uses the equipped healing item when health falls below a certain level. Also improves healing item effectiveness |
| Heal-on-Kill | Circulatory | Restores a percentage of health after killing an enemy |
| Blood Pump | Circulatory | Restores large amounts of health instantly and over time |
You can find all of these cyberware implants at various ripperdoc clinics located throughout the city. However, it’s important to note that certain implants, such as the Apogee Sandevistan, may remain locked until players reach level 40 or higher. To work around this limitation, consider purchasing lower-tier equivalents of the mentioned implants initially. As you progress and explore, keep an eye out for these specific cyberware upgrades in stores or as loot from sources like chests and Dogtown airdrops. This gradual approach will allow you to gradually optimize your character’s cyberware setup.